W. Jakarta vendors gripped by anxiety
W. Jakarta vendors gripped by anxiety
JAKARTA (JP): Street vendors in West Jakarta are gripped with
anxiety as they do not know when the government will evict them.
"Why doesn't the government just do what it wants, which is
demolish our makeshift kiosks and move us elsewhere, instead of
leaving us in limbo?" Sofian, a trader, told The Jakarta Post
yesterday.
Some 200 traders on Jl. Petak Sembilan learned that they had
to move out about three weeks ago after having been on the site
for more than 30 years. The government apparently wants to reopen
the street which has for many years been blocked by traders.
On March 28, the mayor issued a demolition order giving the
traders three days to vacate the street in Jakarta's Chinatown
district of Glodok.
Plans to demolish the kiosks on Apr. 3, April 10 and yesterday
did not materialize. A demolition squad visited the site
yesterday but nothing happened.
Karsidin, head of a demolition squad, said that the first two
operations failed because a substitute site for the traders had
not been made available.
Karsidin added that vegetables and meat traders would be
allocated to the Sawah Besar market, while other traders would be
moved to a site near Glodok known as HWI. Those who want to move
elsewhere may choose other markets.
Sariffudin, a textile trader, told the Post that the traders
support the government's plan but they intend to stick together.
"We need diversity of goods, the way we are, to attract
customers, while the allocated sites will separate us from each
other," she said.
The government issued an ultimatum yesterday asking the
traders to demolish their own kiosks.
Most traders said that they knew nothing about the order
demanding that they demolish their own kiosks. Traders said they
noticed security personnel passing through the market this
morning but business went on as usual.
Sofyan noted that business has turned from bad to worst and
unrest pervades among the traders as well as customers.
"We used to earn up to Rp 200,000 a day. Now we're lucky if we
get Rp 40,000," he said. (14)